WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Apr 22, 2025--
The Nuclear Company, which is pioneering the modernization of nuclear construction and leading fleet-scale deployment of nuclear power across America, today announced the hiring of longtime U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission leader Laura Dudes as Vice President of Regulatory Affairs.
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Dudes has more than three decades of nuclear regulatory experience at the NRC and most recently served as the leader of its largest field office, which has more than 200 staff. In that role, she oversaw inspections of 35 operating nuclear reactors and also managed the NRC’s center that focuses on establishing construction expertise for new reactors.
“Laura’s three decades at the NRC involved regulatory oversight of the development, construction and operation of the only two nuclear reactors started and built in the United States in the last 30 years,” said The Nuclear Company Chief Nuclear Officer Joe Klecha, who himself served as the Project Director and VP-Operational Readiness of the two reactors. “Now she brings that crucial expertise to The Nuclear Company as we deploy 6 gigawatts of fleet-scale nuclear power across America and do it both on time and on budget.”
Dudes led the development of the NRC’s first-ever nuclear construction oversight program for the first-of-a-kind reactors built in Georgia and later led the successful oversight of those projects from construction to operation, adding more than 2 gigawatts of reliable, clean baseload power to the American electrical grid.
The Nuclear Company emerged from stealth mode in 2024, responding to America’s surging energy demand with an innovative approach that redefines nuclear construction. Despite the need for nuclear’s firm baseload power, the biggest challenges facing the industry, which creates high-paying head-of-household jobs, are that nuclear projects are almost always over budget and behind schedule. The Nuclear Company aims to avoid those pitfalls through its design-once, build-many methodology, which lowers costs and minimizes delays. This approach leverages advanced construction and manufacturing methods alongside cutting-edge digital technologies, such as AI-driven site selection, real-time construction updates, and integrated supply chain logistics.
Key to The Nuclear Company’s approach is using proven, licensed technology, which will allow the company to achieve significant cost reductions and shortened project timelines, meeting its commitment to on-time, on-budget deployment of its first fleet of nuclear reactors in America.
“I know firsthand how dedicated America’s leadership is to adding reliable, clean baseload power, and I look forward to helping The Nuclear Company lead the way,” Dudes said. “The company’s fleet-scale nuclear deployment model is the solution America needs to meet our surging energy demand.”
About The Nuclear Company
The Nuclear Company is pioneering the modernization of nuclear construction and leading fleet-scale deployment of nuclear power across America. By integrating proven, licensed reactor technologies with digital innovation and its design-once, build-many methodology, the company aims to reduce costs and shorten development timelines. This approach leverages AI-powered real-time construction monitoring and advanced project management to streamline deployment and ensure on-time, on-budget delivery. The Nuclear Company is committed to delivering safe baseload electricity at the lowest cost, while catalyzing the nuclear industry toward rapid development in America and globally. For more information, visit: www.thenuclearcompany.com.
Laura Dudes to lead regulatory affairs at The Nuclear Company
DUBAI, United Arab Emirates (AP) — U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran wants to negotiate with Washington after his threat to strike the Islamic Republic over its bloody crackdown on protesters, a move coming as activists said Monday the death toll in the nationwide demonstrations rose to at least 544.
Iran had no immediate reaction to the news, which came after the foreign minister of Oman — long an interlocutor between Washington and Tehran — traveled to Iran this weekend. It also remains unclear just what Iran could promise, particularly as Trump has set strict demands over its nuclear program and its ballistic missile arsenal, which Tehran insists is crucial for its national defense.
Meanwhile Monday, Iran called for pro-government demonstrators to head to the streets in support of the theocracy, a show of force after days of protests directly challenging the rule of 86-year-old Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Iranian state television aired chants from the crowd, who shouted “Death to America!” and “Death to Israel!”
Trump and his national security team have been weighing a range of potential responses against Iran including cyberattacks and direct strikes by the U.S. or Israel, according to two people familiar with internal White House discussions who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.
“The military is looking at it, and we’re looking at some very strong options,” Trump told reporters on Air Force One on Sunday night. Asked about Iran’s threats of retaliation, he said: “If they do that, we will hit them at levels that they’ve never been hit before.”
Trump said that his administration was in talks to set up a meeting with Tehran, but cautioned that he may have to act first as reports of the death toll in Iran mount and the government continues to arrest protesters.
“I think they’re tired of being beat up by the United States,” Trump said. “Iran wants to negotiate.”
He added: “The meeting is being set up, but we may have to act because of what’s happening before the meeting. But a meeting is being set up. Iran called, they want to negotiate.”
Iran through country's parliamentary speaker warned Sunday that the U.S. military and Israel would be “legitimate targets” if America uses force to protect demonstrators.
More than 10,600 people also have been detained over the two weeks of protests, said the U.S.-based Human Rights Activists News Agency, which has been accurate in previous unrest in recent years and gave the death toll. It relies on supporters in Iran crosschecking information. It said 496 of the dead were protesters and 48 were with security forces.
With the internet down in Iran and phone lines cut off, gauging the demonstrations from abroad has grown more difficult. The Associated Press has been unable to independently assess the toll. Iran’s government has not offered overall casualty figures.
Those abroad fear the information blackout is emboldening hard-liners within Iran’s security services to launch a bloody crackdown. Protesters flooded the streets in the country’s capital and its second-largest city on Saturday night into Sunday morning. Online videos purported to show more demonstrations Sunday night into Monday, with a Tehran official acknowledging them in state media.
In Tehran, a witness told the AP that the streets of the capital empty at the sunset call to prayers each night. By the Isha, or nighttime prayer, the streets are deserted.
Part of that stems from the fear of getting caught in the crackdown. Police sent the public a text message that warned: “Given the presence of terrorist groups and armed individuals in some gatherings last night and their plans to cause death, and the firm decision to not tolerate any appeasement and to deal decisively with the rioters, families are strongly advised to take care of their youth and teenagers.”
Another text, which claimed to come from the intelligence arm of the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, also directly warned people not to take part in demonstrations.
“Dear parents, in view of the enemy’s plan to increase the level of naked violence and the decision to kill people, ... refrain from being on the streets and gathering in places involved in violence, and inform your children about the consequences of cooperating with terrorist mercenaries, which is an example of treason against the country,” the text warned.
The witness spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity due to the ongoing crackdown.
The demonstrations began Dec. 28 over the collapse of the Iranian rial currency, which trades at over 1.4 million to $1, as the country’s economy is squeezed by international sanctions in part levied over its nuclear program. The protests intensified and grew into calls directly challenging Iran’s theocracy.
Nikhinson reported from aboard Air Force One.
In this frame grab from video obtained by the AP outside Iran, a masked demonstrator holds a picture of Iran's Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi during a protest in Tehran, Iran, Friday, January. 9, 2026. (UGC via AP)
In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran shows protesters taking to the streets despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Friday, Jan. 9, 2026.(UGC via AP)
In this frame grab from footage circulating on social media from Iran showed protesters once again taking to the streets of Tehran despite an intensifying crackdown as the Islamic Republic remains cut off from the rest of the world in Tehran, Iran, Saturday Jan. 10, 2026. (UGC via AP)
